Yesterday I decided to go to Fort Yamhill State Heritage Area since I had never been there before. I had done a little research on this park about a year ago to find when the best time to visit the park would be and figured that October to March would be good as it is not known for flowers of birds. It just so happens that mid to late October seems to be the best time to visit this place. Not only will you avoid summer travelers, but you also get to see brilliant displays of color from the fall foliage. If you are like me, the Fall color helps to bring out the history, especially on the ancient trail used by the local tribes and settlers alike. The view of the Grand Ronde Valley and Spirit Mountian - the real one, not the casino - also adds to the experience. Below are some of the pictures from yesterday:
A relocated Officer's Quarters offers a glimpse of how small single-person houses once were.
Spirit Mountain can be seen from several areas of the park. The smoke is from a slash-and-burn after part of the forest was logged. It supposedly helps put nutrients into the ground before the replanting of the forest.
The ancient Killimuck Trail that the natives used - doesn't it remind you of Colonial New England? I can even imagine a horse-drawn carriage being pulled through here.
A nearby Ceremonial Longhouse sits watching over a field used for Pow Wows.
Overall it was a real peaceful setting; as a soldier once wrote - "All quiet on the Yamhill."
No comments:
Post a Comment